The Roadie For A Day event held on February 16 was a huge success, according to Sarah Hagan, the Percussion Marketing Council’s Advisory Board Member overseeing the grand finale event from the 2017 International Drum Month campaign contest.
Hosted by international drummer celebrity Matt Greiner, drummer with the August Burns Red Band, and Zildjian’s director of Artist Relations, Sarah Hagan, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The 25-year-old winner Bobby Laflamme of Winchendon, Massachusetts witnessed a day-long event that culminated the search and review of over 500 contest entries for the PMC’s 2017 Roadie Contest.
Hagan reported, “The event took place at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts which was the venue for the evening concert. Matt was a gracious host to Bobby Laflamme and I. After the usual introductions, we went backstage to meet Matt Greiner and the entire August Burns Red band, and to present Bobby with his PMC Grand-Prize Package assembled from the many PMC Membership companies. After that it was time to for Bobby to start experiencing a day in the life of a professional high visibility drummer. They spent time together talking about drums, the music industry, and life on the road with Matt and the band. The full-scale on-stage sound check experience was next which included a special invitation to sit behind Matt’s massive kit and play a favorite ABR song under the lights.”
“Immediately following was the photo session with the band onstage, followed by a snack on the band’s tour bus and sitting in on a drum lesson conducted by Matt,” Hagan adds. “Shortly thereafter there was a meet and greet with fans and the final preparations to watch the entire concert from sidestage. The day culminated with Matt Greiner showcasing his amazing drumming talents in front of a packed house of happy fans! Contest winner Bobby Laflamme was at a loss for words in trying to describe the event and experience.”
The PMC has been conducting the Roadie for a Day contest as part of the annual International Drum Month public awareness initiative for six consecutive years. Each year the number of participating percussion retailers and drummer “Roadie” contest entries increases significantly.
